Utes Suffer Nightmarish Third Quarter Against Northwestern
Dec 31, 2018, 8:20 PM | Updated: 8:49 pm
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After the first half of the 2018 Holiday Bowl, it seemed the Utah Utes were cruising, taking a 20-3 lead at the half. Then the third quarter happened and before the Utes could blink, Northwestern was ahead 31-20 going into the fourth quarter.
The Utes committed four turnovers in the quarter to allow the Wildcats to score 28 straight points and take the lead.
That escalated quickly. #B1GCats pic.twitter.com/jONuM88ZQq
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) January 1, 2019
Wildcats Cut Utah’s Lead to 20-10
On the first drive of the second half, Jason Shelley was intercepted by Northwestern’s Blake Gallagher. Northwestern took over the ball on their 44-yard line.
The Wildcats quickly scored just two plays later on a 4-yard pass by Clayton Thorson to Riley Lees. That play was set up by a 52-yard gain on a pass by Thorson to Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman on the first play of the drive.
New life 😤#B1GCats | #HolidayBowl pic.twitter.com/bAPx2dVCXL
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) January 1, 2019
Utes’ Led Reduced To Three
After both teams exchanged punts on their next possessions, the Utes were marching down the field when Shelley was strip-sacked in the red zone. The Wildcats’ Jared McGee picked up the ball and took it 82 yards to the house to cut the deficit to 20-17.
The #B1GCats in the 3rd quarter pic.twitter.com/MiC5REqWvA
— SDCCU Holiday Bowl (@HolidayBowl) January 1, 2019
Wildcats Take The Lead
With the ball back, the Utes again fumbled on the next drive, just three plays into it. Shelley completed a 25-yard pass to Jaylen Dixon who then fumbled it and allowed Northwestern to return it the Utah 31-yard line.
Just two plays later, Thorson found Trey Klock for a 20-yard touchdown strike and just like that, the Wildcats had a 24-20 lead with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter.
Poetry in motion 😍#B1GCats pic.twitter.com/sK4HJcbcMi
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) January 1, 2019
Northwestern Plies It On
After a quick 3-and-out by Utah, Northwestern expanded its lead with a 8-yard lead by Lees to put the Wildcats up 31-20.
It’s getting ugly at the Holiday Bowl. Northwestern has now taken a 31-20 lead with 1:40 to go in the 3Q.
— Dirk Facer (@DirkFacer) January 1, 2019
Utah added to its misery with another interception to end the fourth quarter.
28 points scored in the 3rd quarter:
– Matches a @HolidayBowl record for points in a quarter.
– Most points scored in a quarter in NU bowl history. #B1GCats https://t.co/I8e0kXCqNJ— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) January 1, 2019